Dassault: A Panoply Of Fighter Prototypes

For decades, Dassault’s fighter design philosophy has been based in incremental development and frequent prototypes. This led the company from the swept-wing Mystere to delta-wing Mirage III and swept-wing Mirage F1 to delta-wing Mirage 2000—and ultimately to today’s canard-delta Rafale. 

The Mystere III, or Mystere du Nuit, was a two-seat night-fighter version of Dassault's second production jet fighter, the Mystere II. The prototype flew in July 1952, but the program did not proceed.

The Mystere IVN was a two-seat night-fighter version of the production Mystere IVB. The prototype flew in July 1954, but the French air force chose the Sud Aviation Vautour IIN instead.

Developed to meet a French requirement for a light interceptor, the MD 550 protoype flew in June 1955 as the Mystere Delta but was later to become the Mirage I—and the first of a long line.

A French requirement for a tactical fighter led to Dassault developing designs that became the Etendard II and IV, both flown in July 1956—the latter the basis for the French navy’s carrier-based Etendard IVM.

A derivative of the Etendard IV, the Bristol Orpheus-powered Etendard VI, was developed for a NATO fighter competition. The prototype flew in March 1957, but the competition was won by the Fiat G.91.

Originally designed as a heavy interceptor, the Mirage IV flew in June 1959 as a prototype for the Mirage IVB strategic bomber. This was canceled in 1959 and replaced by the smaller, less expensive Mirage IVA.

An ultimately fruitless NATO competition for a vertical/short-takeoff-and-landing fighter led to the Balzac V demonstrator (top), flown in October 1962, and Mirage IIIV prototype, which flew in February 1965.

A French requirement for a short-runway, all-weather fighter led to the swept-wing Mirage F2, which flew in June 1966. A production Mirage F3 was canceled, and France bought the private-venture F1.

Against a background of ultimately unsuccessful Anglo-French efforts to collaborate on a variable-geometry fighter, Dassault flew the experimental, single-engine Mirage G in November 1967.

France wanted a twin-engined strike fighter, and eventually single- and two-seat prototypes of the variable-geometry Mirage G8 were ordered, with Snecma M53 engines, the first flying in May 1971.

Too costly, the Mirage G8 was canceled. A swept-wing Mirage G8A was designed, but in 1975 France canceled its Avion de Future Combat for the less expensive single-engine, delta-wing Mirage 2000.

While developing the Mirage 2000 for France, Dassault designed a twin-engined version, the Mirage 4000 (right), as a private venture for export. The prototype flew in March 1979, but no customers were found.

Seeing a market to replace a large number of Mirage IIIs, 5s and 50s, Dassault flew the fly-by-wire Mirage IIING in December 1982, but the upgraded aircraft failed to find a customer.

While wrangling with the U.K., Germany and Italy over collaborating on a European fighter, France funded the Rafale A demonstrator, flown in July 1986. The decision to go it alone resulted in today’s Rafale.